Tag: nature

Book Review: The Alchemy of Flowers, by Laura Resau

Image belongs to HarperCollins Focus/ Harper Muse.

Title: The Alchemy of Flowers
Author: Laura Resau       
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy    
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Here lie the bones of those who broke the rules . . .”

There are many rules those who wish to live and work behind the mysterious walled gardens of Le Château du Paradis must follow. One must not gossip. One must not leave their room during dusk.

And most importantly for the newest gardener, Eloise Bourne, children are forbidden.

Although she’s locked inside the castle grounds and subjected to strange rules, Eloise’s new home enchants her with otherworldly lodging and magical flowers. Best of all, her co-workers–who are also retreating from the world–spark her to heal both body and soul. And she feels surprisingly drawn to the intriguing handyman, Raphaël.

But when she starts glimpsing a mysterious child in the trees, she reels. Is this a human girl? Or a woodsprite? Is it her imagination, or is this place truly enchanted?

As the summer unfolds, Eloise begins to fear the child is in danger. It’s not until she breaks the rules and risks her heart that Paradise becomes a prison. Eloise must unearth the gardens’ secrets, fight for her newfound family, and ultimately, claim a second chance at happiness.

Who wouldn’t want to run away to a peaceful, magical, hidden garden…and live in a treehouse? This book felt like magic, and I truly enjoyed it. Life there sounded so simple and, frankly, too good to be true. There was enough mystery throughout to keep me engaged, and the magical surroundings kept me reading. I enjoyed the characters and learning about their histories, while rooting for their futures!

Laura Resau is an award-winning author. The Alchemy of Flowers is her adult debut.

(Galley courtesy of HarperCollins Focus/ Harper Muse in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: The Trail of Lost Hearts, by Tracey Garvis Graves     

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title:  The Trail of Lost Hearts
Author:  Tracey Garvis Graves     
Genre: Fiction      
Rating:  4.5 out of 5

Thirty-four-year-old Wren Waters believes that if you pay attention, the universe will send you exactly what you need. But her worldview shatters when the universe delivers two life-altering blows she didn’t see coming, and all she wants to do is put the whole heartbreaking mess behind her. No one is more surprised than Wren when she discovers that geocaching―the outdoor activity of using GPS to look for hidden objects―is the only thing getting her out of bed and out of her head. She decides that a weeklong solo quest geocaching in Oregon is exactly what she needs to take back control of her life.

Enter Marshall Hendricks, a psychologist searching for distraction as he struggles with a life-altering blow of his own. Though Wren initially rebuffs Marshall’s attempt at hiker small talk, she’s beyond grateful when he rescues her from a horrifying encounter farther down the trail. In the interest of safety, Marshall suggests partnering up to look for additional caches. Wren’s no longer quite so trusting of the universe―or men in general―but her inner circle might argue that a smart, charismatic psychologist isn’t the worst thing the universe could place in her path.

What begins as a platonic road trip gradually blossoms into something deeper, and the more Wren learns about Marshall, the more she wants to know. Now all she can do is hope that the universe gets it right this time.

I thought I was just going to read a little bit of this before going to bed. I ended up staying up until 1 a.m. to read the entire thing. I enjoyed the voice and style tremendously and couldn’t wait to find out what would happen with Wren and Marshall.

Wren really went through the wringer! I cannot even imagine having my life upended like this, and the fact that she’s still trying is inspiring. The chemistry between her and Marshall was great, and I loved their banter and growing closeness. I just had to stay up and see how things turned out!

Tracey Garvis Graves is a bestselling author. The Trail of Lost Hearts is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review:  The Guide, by Peter Heller

Image belongs to Knopf.

Title:  The Guide
Author:  Peter Heller
Genre:  Mystery/thriller
Rating:  5 out of 5

Kingfisher Lodge, nestled in a canyon on a mile and a half of the most pristine river water on the planet, is known by locals as Billionaire’s Mile and is locked behind a heavy gate. Sandwiched between barbed wire and a meadow with a sign that reads Don’t Get Shot! the resort boasts boutique fishing at its finest. Safe from viruses that have plagued America for years, Kingfisher offers a respite for wealthy clients. Now it also promises a second chance for Jack, a return to normalcy after a young life filled with loss. When he is assigned to guide a well-known singer, his only job is to rig her line, carry her gear, and steer her to the best trout he can find.

But then a human scream pierces the night, and Jack soon realizes that this idyllic fishing lodge may be merely a cover for a far more sinister operation. A novel as gripping as it is lyrical, as frightening as it is moving, The Guide is another masterpiece from Peter Heller.

I don’t think I’ve ever read one of Heller’s novels before and reading The River before this wasn’t a necessity (to me, anyway). The writing here is stellar!  I’m usually not much for in-depth and lyrical description, but it absolutely worked here, bringing the scene to such evocative life I could almost taste it. I don’t know a thing about fly fishing, but I still felt right at home in this novel and with these characters. This was an excellent read!

Peter Heller is an award-winning adventure writer. The Guide is his newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Knopf in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review and Blog Tour: Legends of the North Cascades, by Jonathan Evison

Image belongs to Algonquin Books.

Title:  Legends of the North Cascades
Author:  Jonathan Evison
Genre:  Fiction        
Rating:  3.5 out of 5

Dave Cartwright is already living on the edge, with a blue collar job he hates that barely pays the bills, a house on the verge of foreclosure, a failing marriage, and the recurring memories of three tours in Iraq. His only bright spot is his sometimes too-wise daughter, Bella, who sees and understands much beyond her years. When the unthinkable occurs, Dave makes a seemingly over-the-top decision to move with Bella to a cave in the wilderness. As they embark on this compelling and challenging backcountry adventure, Bella’s reality takes an unforeseen turn, retreating into the ancient world of a mother and son who lived in the cave thousands of years ago at the end of the last Ice Age. What unfolds amidst the struggle to survive is a meditation on both the perils of isolation and the human need for connection.

I’m not 100% sure what I think about this book. Excellent writing and the setting was vivid and vibrant, but…honestly, I finished the book and thought “What was the point?” I felt sympathy for Dave and his struggles—and I actually agree with him about wanting to shut the world out because of the toxicity and hate—but we didn’t get to see his moment of epiphany.

The ending was very abrupt, and I didn’t even care if Dave lived or died. I cared about Bella, yes, but what was the point of her flashbacks into the ancient past? Why did they even happen—and how? No answers, sadly.

Jonathan Evison is a bestselling author. Legends of the North Cascades is his newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Algonquin Books in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Shipped, by Angie Hockman

Image belongs to Gallery Books.

Title:  Shipped
Author:  Angie Hockman
Genre:  Romance
Rating:  4 out of 5

Between taking night classes for her MBA and her demanding day job at a cruise line, marketing manager Henley Evans barely has time for herself, let alone family, friends, or dating. But when she’s shortlisted for the promotion of her dreams, all her sacrifices finally seem worth it.

The only problem? Graeme Crawford-Collins, the remote social media manager and the bane of her existence, is also up for the position. Although they’ve never met in person, their epic email battles are the stuff of office legend.

Their boss tasks each of them with drafting a proposal on how to boost bookings in the Galápagos—best proposal wins the promotion. There’s just one catch: they have to go on a company cruise to the Galápagos Islands…together. But when the two meet on the ship, Henley is shocked to discover that the real Graeme is nothing like she imagined. As they explore the Islands together, she soon finds the line between loathing and liking thinner than a postcard.

With her career dreams in her sights and a growing attraction to the competition, Henley begins questioning her life choices. Because what’s the point of working all the time if you never actually live?

This was a quick, fun read. I loved the ecotourism aspects and the descriptions of the Galápagos, although the two main characters were just kind of “meh” for me. I thought they were both fairly predictable, but that may just be me. Solid writing and a fun premise made up for some of this, so this would be a fun vacation read.

Angie Hockman lives in Ohio. Shipped is her debut novel.

(Galley courtesy of Gallery Books in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: What’s Worth Keeping, by Kaya McLaren

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title:  What’s Worth Keeping
Author:  Kaya McLaren
Genre:  Fiction
Rating:  4 out of 5

The day her doctor says the one word that no one wants to hear, Amy Bergstrom discovers a secret that her husband of 25 years has been keeping from her. Now that the months of treatment and surgeries are behind her, she escapes her claustrophobic life seeking healing, peace and clarity in an ancient forest in Washington State, a forest that holds memories of her childhood summers.

After dropping off his daughter at Amy’s Aunt Rae’s horse ranch in the mountains of New Mexico, Officer Paul Bergstrom visits the fixer-upper he had bought years ago as a place to retire with his family. Although it appears fine on the outside, the inside is a disaster–just like his marriage. When he finds himself with more off-duty time than he expected, he lovingly repairs his dream home, building the future he so desperately wants.

Witnessing her mother’s health crisis had been terrifying enough, but learning the cause was genetic leaves Carly with the sense that all of her dreams are pointless. With the help of her eccentric great aunt and a Clydesdale named T. Rex, Carly just may find her faith in her future again.

Kayla McLaren has been blessed with gorgeous book covers for her novels, and this is no exception. Her writing brings the beauty and magic of her settings to vibrant life and etches them in the reader’s mind—whether or not they’ve ever visited these places themselves. Each of these three characters are distinct and struggling with their own demons, but their stories twine together in this tale of a family facing their battles alone—and together. A lovely read!

Kayla McLaren is from Washington State. What’s Worth keeping is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Three Ways to Disappear, by Katy Yocom

three ways
Image belongs to Ashland Creek Press.

Title:   Three Ways to Disappear
Author:   Katy Yocom
Genre:   Fiction
Rating:   4.5 out of 5

Sarah and Quinn spent their childhood in India, but a family tragedy drove their mother to return home to the U.S. with the girls years ago. Now, Sarah has decided to leave her life as a journalist behind to return to India to help save Bengal tigers, but the past haunts her every step. Local politics make her new job harder and a secret—and forbidden—love affair adds to the danger every day.

Quinn is afraid of losing her sister in India. Her own marriage is troubled, with her son’s life-threatening illness shadowing every day and her mother’s continued refusal to speak of or deal with the past adding another layer of tension. When Sarah asks Quinn to come to India, Quinn realizes she’ll have to face the past if she’s ever to assuage her guilt over it.

Wow. This book was an incredible read! (Except the ending. Which was so right for the book—but I was hoping for something different, so totally my own issue.) The Indian setting brims with life—colorful and full of spice—and is as much a character as Sarah and Quinn are. The sisters’ relationship is complex and scarred, but they begin to heal together. This book also does an excellent job showing the plight of endangered Bengal tigers—and the work being done to save them.

Katy Yocom is an award-winning author who lives in Louisville, Kentucky. Three Ways to Disappear is her debut novel.

(Galley courtesy of Ashland Creek Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)